Safe
by ThroughTheAshes
Summary: "Betty didn't know when it happened. She just knew that Jughead made her feel safe. He made her feel alive."


**Unbeta'd**

* * *

Home. It's a word that makes you think of comfort. Makes you feel safe. For Betty her home was anything but that. She'd walk home from school and feel the good mood that she was in disappear. In it's place would be tension and a heavy cloud of dread.

It never used to be like that. Not when Polly was around. They'd bicker like sisters do. They'd get angry over the little things but, more often than not they'd sit in Polly's room and do each others nails. They'd talk about anything.

Recently though Betty has found that her mood gets better at home when a certain beanie headed boy would climb the ladder outside of her window and enter her room.

Over the past few weeks Betty had started to notice things about Jughead that she never used to. Like the way that he would huff a laugh. The way he licks his lips when they're a little bit dry. They way he bites his tongue lightly between his teeth when he's typing away on his laptop. Right now though, all Betty can think of is how Jughead fills out the shirt he's wearing.

They're sitting up in Betty's room. Betty still wearing her jeans and sweater from school and Jughead, his denim jacket and flannel shirt draped over the chair in the corner. His usual ripped jeans and dark t-shirt are in place with his signature beanie. Betty watches from her spot on her bed as Jug reaches his arms up and stretches. His shirt rides up slightly showing off the toned muscles of his abdomen.

When did she start to think like this around Jughead? Betty tries to think back.

Was it when they were coming home from working on the Blue and Gold and it started to rain? Betty remembers Jughead giving her his jacket; she protested saying she was fine but Jug wouldn't listen. She remembers watching as the rain started to soak through his shirt and how it clung to his body.

Was it when they were working late on the Blue and Gold? When Jughead leaned over Betty's shoulder and she could smell the aftershave he was wearing. It was so... Jughead.

She gets pulled out of her thoughts when Jughead calls her name.

"You OK?" He asks brown furrowed.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." She runs a hand over her forehead then looks at the clock on her nightstand. "Do you want something to eat?"

"Erm, yeah sure." He answers. His brow is still furrowed. What is she thinking?

Before he asks anything else Betty jumps up off of her bed nodding to herself, "Right, I'll be right back. I'm not sure what we've got in but I'll find something."

"Betty-"

She leaves quickly not waiting to hear what he has to say. What do you say to someone when you've just realised that you like them?

She gets to the kitchen and breathes deeply. She thinks of the beanie headed boy in her bedroom and shakes her head. Walking towards the fridge she opens it up and looks inside.

She can't pinpoint it. Her feelings for Jughead. He's important in her life. That's for sure. He makes her feel safe. She actually enjoys being at home when he's here. Her mom actually likes him.

"Betty, what's wrong?"

The sound of Jughead's voice makes her jump and scream a little. How long had she been staring into the refrigerator for?

"What? Nothing. Why would you think that?" She asks in one breath.

"Because you've been staring into the refrigerator for nearly five minutes. And well, you left your room petty quick before." Jughead leans against the doorframe with his arms folded across his chest.

His t-shirt is straining against his arms Betty notices. She clears her throat. "Nothing. I just realised the time and that I was being a bad hostess. I should have offered you food before, I just got, caught up?" She shrugs it away.

"Are you sure?" Jughead asks moving towards her.

Betty closes the refrigerator door and nods, "Yeah, yeah." She clears her throat as she watches him get closer. "Yeah. My mom would be mad at me. That's not how she raised me. When we've got guests offer them food and, drink." She finishes quietly look at Jughead who's now standing right in front of her.

He raises an eyebrow. "Really? Are you sure it has nothing to do with the way you've been looking at me?"

"What? No. I haven't been looking at you. Why would you ask me that?" She can feel her heart beating in her chest.

"You've been looking at me strangely all afternoon Bets. What's up?" His brow furrows now.

"I, erm." Betty stutters

"Betty, come on this is me." Jughead says.

Yeah like that's going to make anything easier. "Seriously, Jug. It's nothing." She smiles at him and he smiles back.

"Are you sure?" He asks leaning back on the counter.

"Yeah." She sighs "It looks like we haven't really got anything in. Do you want to go to Pops?"

"Sure." Jughead agrees "But only if your treating." He smirks and reaches towards her face.

Betty holds her breath as his hand brushes against her cheek.

"Eyelash." He says as an explanation as he holds his finger out towards her, "Make a wish."

She looks from his finger to his face and back again before closing her eyes and blowing. I wish I wasn't afraid of rejection. I'd tell you then. She opens her eyes to see Jughead looking at her. Only this time his eyes are darting from hers and down to her lips.

He clears his throat. "I'll go grab my things. Is your jacket up there?" He asks turning away from her and walking through the doorway

"No, it's down here." She replies

"Ok." She watches as he walks up the stairs.

She doesn't know how long she stands there. In that spot where it feels like they just had a moment but she gets jolted back to Earth when Jug calls her name. "Coming."

She walks towards his and grabs her jacket from the coat rack. He opens the door and waits for her to follow. Only this time it's different. This time when she turns back around from locking up Jughead is standing there his hand held out for Betty to hold onto.

Betty bites her lip and look from Jug to his hand and back again. She takes a step forward and laces her fingers between his. This is new.

They walk down the street. Hand in hand. Neither of them saying anything. She feels Jughead run his thumb over her knuckles and she smiles to herself.

She'll act on her wish she thinks.

Betty didn't know when it happened. She just knew that Jughead made her feel safe. He made her feel alive.


End file.
